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[narfstar]

The older I get the more I appreciate westerns. I wish the "not very popular" Nichols with James Garner would be shown. I remember really liking the show and so did my family. Gunsmoke was never a must see, probably because it was not as much fun or action filled as most other westerns.

[profh0011]

Crazy but true: I never saw GUNSMOKE until the 20th TV season, when I finally tuned in and got hooked. Maybe it was because it was the only western on at the time? They had a regular habit that year of rotating every 3rd week between the 3 lawmen-- Matt Dillon, Festus (Ken Curtis), and the younger guy whose name I forget. I mostly remember an excruitiating 2-parter staring Festus, where he was trapped in the desert with a raving madman prospector played by Strother Martin (who I always recall from the 2nd-season opener of LOST IN SPACE-- heehee).  Can you imagine? Those 2 accents together for an entire 2-parter???

Sure enough, I start watching the show, it finally gets cancelled.  (grrrrrrr)


I often joke (but with some truth) that my favorite TV westerns were THE WILD WILD WEST, F TROOP, and McCLOUD.  A retro sci-fi spy show, a comedy, and a contemprary NYC cop show.

I used to watch a lot of westerns growing up. But then, I used to watch almost anything that was on in the 60's-- it was just rare for me to watch EVERY episode of anything. I recall watching BONANZA for many years.  Never saw any of the early ones with Adam until some years back when I rented a couple of "best of" tapes. Little Joe was a LOT of fun to watch when he was really young! My problem with BONANZA is probably that it seemed every episode would start out lookng good, but by halfway in, slow down and get dull.  I guess as a kid I had shorter attention span.  With VERY few exceptions, I always preferred half-hour shows.  (The exceptions being THE OUTER LIMITS, LOST IN SPACE, then STAR TREK, later still TARZAN and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE.)

I also recal watching THE RIFLEMAN, THE LONE RANGER, BRANDED (not too much of the latter).

Last week I watched 2 of my favorite Clint Eastwood westerns a day apart--  FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE  (Lee Van Cleef really steals that movie, I love seeing him as the hero), and HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER.  ("What did you say your name was again?"  "I didn't.")

[josemas]

My three current weekly serials-

Burn-'Em-Up Barnes-1933-Mascot-  Former silent star Jack Mulhall gives a lively performance as a race car driver in this fast-paced production.  Young Frankie Darro is also good in support.

The Painted Stallion-1937-Republic-  Ray Corrigan and Hoot Gibson head the cast in this fine western entry which benefits from some well chosen Utah location shooting, a very comely starlet (in a skimpy costume) who rides the painted stallion and shoots whistling arrows and an 1820s time period (taking place shortly after Mexico's independence from Spain).

Young Eagles-1934-First Division-   Pretty good little independent serial follows two Boy Scouts surviving a plane crash and traversing their way through South American jungles.  Not a recognizable name in the cast but everybody is fairly competent in the thespian department.  Will be watching my final chapter of this one tomorrow.  After that I'll most likely be starting The Monster and the Ape (1945-Columbia).

[paw broon]

All this has got me thinking and trying to remember what westerns we saw in the U.K. late '50's or '60's, apart from Lone Ranger and Range Rider.  Boots and Saddles was a favourite, and it was on early in the evening, unlike Cheyenne which was a mid-evening show.  My dad enjoyed Cheyenne and I seem to remember that my mother was a fan of Bronco.  Also on at various times was Sugarfoot; Wagon Train; Bonanza (like prof, I also thought it was slow and a bit disappointing); Gun Law; Wells Fargo - again, my dad was a huge fan of Jim Hardie); and Maverick.  There were others but I forget what they were.  There was a show that seemed to be a western called Whiplash, I think, but was perhaps Australian - or am I havering?
Thing is, our home made shows, historicals, were probably even more popular with kids here, e.g. Ivanhoe; Buccaneers; Robin Hood; William Tell; Sir Lancelot etc.
Not sure if I mentioned this before but I recently found a box set of Whirlybirds and it's great.
I don't suppose any of you remember a programme called The Magic Boomerang  (strangely enough it was Australian)  Opening credits here:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh4zqPyHlII
Also found an episode of William Tell:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2GvmCfyYgw

[profh0011]

Back when I started grammar school, my first lunchbox was a BONANZA.  I recall wondering why there were 4 guys pictured on it instead of 3.  See, Adam had left before I ever watched (or was old enough to remember him).

As I recall, BONANZA was always on opposite THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW.  We used to watch ED SULLIVAN religiously.  Which means, there's a good chance we only really watched BONANZA during the summer reruns.  I don't think there were any reruns of ED SULLIVAN, so much of it was tied up in being a live show, when it was off, they put something else on, a "summer replacement".  (One such year was a show starring the folk group THE LIMELITERS! Nobody but me seems to remember ever seeing this, but I clearly recall the show's "theme song" being an edited version of "Jehosephat", the opening song from their SING OUT! album.)

It was sometime in the 90's I rented a pair of "best of" BONANZA tapes.  Even at the time, I found myself really wishing they'd been all from thbe 1st season, in sequence. The 1st episode was so different from the others.  The show started with a running sub-plot (no idea how long this went on) about a group of local businessmen who wanted to buy part of the Ponderosa so they could send a logging team in for the lumber.  Ben Cartright objected to this in the strongest possible terms on almost religious reasons.  So the family was very paranoid, protective, even belligerent toward any strangers wandering onto or across their land, and Virginia City was seen as a dangerous place to visit.  This was not the homey, friendly relationship I'd known from all the later stories.

So the businessmen came up with a scheme... they recruited an actress, who they hoped would entice Little Joe to come to town.  Once there, while she distracted him, they'd capture him, and hold him prisoner to FORCE Ben to agree to sell part of his land.  ONly it didn't quite work.  Little Joe WAS taken with her, but, not enough that he didn't SEE what was really going on.  And the thing is, he was SUCH a gentleman, he didn't blame her for the set-up! And his attitude REALLY touched her, and she got very angry at the men who employed her.  Meanwhile, a group of thugs broke into her room to grab Joe, but he was expecting them, and actually had FUN fighting them off and escaping, making them all look like fools.

Man! How could not admire the hell out of a guy like that?

I wouldn't mind seeing the show one of these days, if I could watch ALL the episodes from the beginning.

[Captain Audio]

"Lost Horizon" was originally filmed as a six hour epic, with the possibility of being shown in two parts.
They trimmed the film down to 3 1/2 hours for its first showing in front of an audience but found it was still just far too long for the movie goers of the day. The film was then cut to 142 minutes. Three alternative endings scenese were flimed.

If all the edited out footage still existed you could create two or three entirely different stories by skillful editing.

PS
Just starting on the old BBC/sci fi channel six part mini series "Invasion earth".

[unclerobin@att.net]

For all Western fans, I would like to recommend the TIM HOLT/RED MASK series right here at Comic Books Plus, I've just discovered them (with an ulterior motive - I have a thing for Black Phantom - that Frank Bolle sure could draw the women!) and have been floored by the quality of these books from over 50-60 years ago. There are also Ghost Rider stories in these books - Dick Ayers was GREAT in those days! So I guess I'll have to recommend the GHOST RIDER books, too.

[narfstar]

Yes Robin Ghost Rider has a big following here. Many of the UK shows you mentioned Paw ran on the Sky Angel channels. I was very fond of William Tell.

[profh0011]

It's unfortunate that Nick Simon's SILVER AGE MARVEL site went down a couple weeks after I lost my last job. I'd set up a huge section for GHOST RIDER there (the original, Magazine Enterprises version).

But for now, here's a couple galleries I set up at my blog... enjoy!

http://professorhswaybackmachine.blogspot.com/2011/09/ghost-rider.html
http://professorhswaybackmachine.blogspot.com/2012/05/tim-holt.html

[narfstar]

I just watched the UK/Irish movie Grabbers. It is a scifi movie that is a lot of fun. Better than what the scyfi channel runs.

[Captain Audio]

Looked up the trailer for "Grabbers" looks like a fun movie to watch. I like how everyone has to get plastered so their blood alcohol level makes them inedible.

[josemas]

Well we are certainly into the new television season here in the States and here's the current crop of shows that I am following-  Bones, Revolution, Alphas (winding up soon), Arrow, Criminal Minds, CSI, Elementary, Haven, Fringe, Grimm, CSI: NY, Bedlam, Copper (winding up soon), Once Upon a Time, 666 Park Avenue and American Horror Story (starting this week). 
Plus Leverage, Warehouse 13 and Dr. Who have all recently gone on mid-season hiatus but will be back by the holidays.
I'd be watching even more but my satellite company (DISH) has been feuding with AMC and refusing to carry them for the last several months and so I have already missed season 2 of Hell on Wheels and seem likely to miss the new season of The Walking Dead which is starting today.

Best

Joe

[profh0011]

THE ALPHABET MURDERS  (1966)
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS  (2001)
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS  (1974)
DEATH ON THE NILE  (1978)

[narfstar]

I side with Dishnetwork. They have demonstrated that they can cause the providers to back down. Remember they also carry ads. It was once only ads that made them possible. Being off of Dish and Direct causes them to loose that revenue as well as ad revenue. As much as I want to see Walking Dead if Dish gives in there is no stopping the companies from their greed.

I am watching Once Upon a Time and Revenge tonight as well as Dexter. I also watch Revolution and Last Resort

[unclerobin@att.net]

Remember when AMC (American Movie Classics) carried movies and nothing else, not even (especially) ads? How about MTV (Music TeleVision) and all music, all the time? And VH1? And TLC (Honey Boo-Boo? Excuse me?)? And History Channel? Can't they at least change their names? Court TV did -

[bowers]

Yes, Unclerobin, they should change their names- but let them keep the initials. Therefore, TLC would become the Terribly Ludicrous Crap network! Cheers, Bowers

[josemas]

I used to love AMC when it was a commercial-free vintage movie channel.  I watched it all the time.  Now I only watch the occasional new series they run.  Thank goodness we still have TCM for vintage movies.

Best

Joe

[narfstar]

As shows loose their uniqueness others may take their place. As they become more popular they too loose their identity and conform to the standard. I remember when FX was a really cool almost folksy channel. They had their antique show and hosted other shows like the 60's Batman. I have a letter signed by Jeff Propst because I wrote to the show he hosted.

[unclerobin@att.net]

josemas, I forgot about TMC,that is one GREAT channel, I hope I didn't jinx it by saying that. And narfstar, I remember the early FX, too, the Saturday morning antique shows were my favorite thing about it. IRONICALLY, the host ended up on - AMC! I also remember how they did all of their original programming out of one big, warehouse-looking room. TNT was another channel I REALLY LIKED in its early days.

[profh0011]

My best friend Kevin & I often like to joke, "Remember when AMC was a REAL movie channel?"  When they added commercials, it was tragic.  I remember on my own cable system, at least 6 months, maybe a year or more went by before they either added TCM, or I found out about it.  I've been without cable for several years now (just can't afford it), but shortly before I let it lapse, they moved TCM around to make it a "digital-only" channel, which meant you'd have to spend an ADDITIONAL $10 a month if you wanted it.  As if the regular monthly fee hadn't already gotten obscenely high.  A shame, the last few years before that, TCM had become my favorite channel.

I suspect when (IF) things finally turn around for me (I keep praying they do, and SOON) that I'll remain without cable, and put the money instead into buying DVDs. That way I can put it toward what i want, and not have to put up with someone else's lousy and limited ideas of programming.

[bowers]

Haven't really been able to watch much TV lately, so I'm catching up on the replays. This year's "Mentalist" premiere was, unfortunately, awfully predictable, but the second episode was really very much better. "Copper" is getting better with each episode. Glad to see a second season for "Bedlam". Some new cast members and more aggressive spirits give this series some real punch. (What really happened to Jed?) I liked the first few episodes of this year's "Dr. Who", but felt they weren't quite up to the very high standards of last year's excellent scripts. Then saw episodes 4 and 5 and was really blown away- especially by episode 5! This episode had to be a great one, and it certainly was. Definitely rates a big "Yowzah!" Here's some Dr. Who weirdness- I was looking up Alex Kingston (River Song) on IMDB the other day to see some of her other work and discovered she had a small recurring role on one of the "Law and Order" series. The last name of her character was... Pond! Cheers, Bowers

[unclerobin@att.net]

I like Kevin Smith and I LOVE comic books, but one show I REFUSE to watch again after the first couple of times is COMIC BOOK MEN, which just seems to celebrate the ARROGANCE and GREED in the dealer's world, just watch how they seem to know EVERYTHING about comics, but show no love for the hobby, just the money to be made from it. I realize dealers have to make money, but these guys really seem to get off on paying as LITTLE as possible to someone who is desperate for a buck, then turning around and charging TOP DOLLAR for their wares. I knew dealers like them guys when I was hard-up for a buck, and I knew guys who I considered real bloodsuckers. These guys on the show? The latter.

[unclerobin@att.net]

A little goof at the end of my last comment: What I meant to say was, "I knew dealers like them guys when I was hard-up for a buck, and I knew guys who I considered fair and square (they'd pay roughly half a book's value, which is WAY MORE than some of these other rip-offs would pay - a LOT of other guys, for that matter). These guys on the show? The rip-offs. And shame on YOU, Kevin Smith, you don't need to be a gouger, you're rich enough already! This show made me lose a LOT OF RESPECT for you.

[narfstar]

I gave up on Comic Book after the first couple of episodes

[profh0011]

McCLOUD:  ENCOUNTER WITH ARIES
McCloud